Spring Rain
by Nanaki BH
Summary: N/Touya Black  - N and Touya take shelter as it starts to rain.


**Disclaimer:** _Pokémon_ and all related characters and materials are property of Game Freak and Nintendo.  
**Notes: **I'm never sure which names to go with in this series. I switched to 'Touya' this time because I can't make up my mind. I think I'll keep with that, though.

Spring Rain  
By: Nanaki BH

There was something warm pressed up against his side. It was a rather pleasant feeling, like he was being enveloped in its warmth, like it was pulling him deeper and deeper into a very peaceful place. The more he let his thoughts surround it, the more his sleep-soaked brain began to realize _oh, that's N_ and _yeah, he's supposed to be there_. Snuggling up to his side like that was more than okay when there was still rain going on outside.

At the first sign of rain, N had offered him his hat and Touya had to remind him gently that he was already wearing one. The same went for the jacket that was offered to him after that. It made him happy that he was thinking of him, but he wasn't a delicate flower. Actually, he really enjoyed strolling in a light rain. It appeared that even some of N's Pokémon, who walked outside the confines of pokéballs, seemed to enjoy the rain – the water-type ones, at least. When the first drop hit Joltik's back and sizzled with a tiny spark, the little thing ran itself up N's pantleg and hid in his jacket.

His jacket was off now, but if the rustling under it was any indication, it seemed like it was still getting comfortable inside it. Touya let the eye he'd cracked open slide back closed.

When the rain had become a little too much to be considered a 'light drizzle', they decided that it might be time to pitch a tent in a clear area away from the path to wait it out. It was still too far from the nearest town or Pokémon Center and getting all their gear wet wasn't worth trying to run to reach one when they weren't even sure where they were.

By the time they got their tent set up, Touya's hat was already getting soaked through and he could feel warm rain water rolling down the back of his neck in the weirdest, most uncomfortable way. It was late spring and being stuck in the rain for too long felt like being in the shower with their clothes on.

The tent was only big enough for the two of them, though. (And Joltik. Couldn't forget about him.) The rest of N's Pokémon all somehow disappeared without Touya even noticing before they were even done putting the last stake in the last corner of the tent. He didn't have any idea where they'd run off to, but he wasn't going to let himself worry too much about it when N didn't seem concerned at all. If anything, he always seemed happy to let his 'traveling companions' enjoy their Pokéfreedom. For all intents and purposes, his Pokémon were his Pokémon. They were the same to him as a Pokémon would be for any trainer, but the meaning of their trust was something much different to N and that still seemed to affect his perception of their friendship differently than it would for most people.

He opened his eyes lazily again as he felt something fuzzy and soft rubbing against his fingers. His eyes focused on the blurry yellow blob in front of him until he recognized that it was Joltik, who seemed interested in cuddling his hand.

There was a warm breath of air against his neck with a sigh and then a pair of lips gently pressing against his shoulder. It seemed like N was awake; yawning, shifting the position of his arm around Touya's waist, nuzzling his face into the hair at the back of his neck – but he didn't seem to be making any other moves to get himself up.

And why should he? When Touya tilted his head up and peeked out through the crack in the tent flap, all he could see was drippy rain rolling down their plastic shelter in steady sheets.

With arms that still felt heavy, he reached for his watch and flipped it over to take a look at the time. Come to think of it, he couldn't really remember when they had come to a stop, but it sounded like they had been asleep for at least a good hour. An hour sounded like nothing, but it sure felt like something when he had a human heating pack pressed against his back.

"N..." He had to clear his throat. "Do you think your Pokémon are okay out there by themselves?"

N made some sort of animal noise back at him and hugged him tighter like a teddy bear.

"N."

"Mmmn... They're fine."

"Are you sure?" He didn't know what it would be like if his own Pokémon suddenly ran off after being reliant on him for so long for so many things, but he had heard bad things about what could happen to a Pokémon when it was released by its trainer. He was starting to feel more and more unpleasantly awake the more he thought about what the cruel outdoors could be like for a delicate little creature – like Joltik, for example. But at least he had the sense to stay where it was warm.

N put a hand on his shoulder and rolled him over onto his back and flopped on top of him, seemingly unconcerned for the way he knocked the wind out of the boy beneath him.

"They can handle themselves," he mumbled. "The forest isn't the cruelest thing a Pokémon can face."

Leave it to him to still sound like a philanthropist even when he was half-asleep. It was sort of endearing in a way, though. After the disappearance of Ghetsis, N's concern for Pokémon had become considerably less invasive and turned into something more innocent and... dare he think it? _Cute_.

If N, the one who was practically part Pokémon believed that they were fine, then he would believe him for now. After all, the temptation of sleep was beginning to drag him under again and he was finding it hard to refuse.

When the two had finally collapsed together inside the tent after spending a frustrating time getting it set up, they instantly realized just how wet they were. Touya felt fortunate that their tent had a bottom so that they wouldn't have to sit on any wet grass. However, while he was concerning himself with keeping the seat of his pants dry, N didn't seem concerned about very much at all. Without any warning, he had shucked his shirt and put it in the corner that began a pile that was followed by his hat and his socks and his belt and – it was only Touya's own insistence that kept him from removing his pants.

If he was going to spend some uncertain amount of time in a close space with N, he didn't want to be there with a mostly-naked N who would be undoubtedly doing things to his head. And other parts of him. N still unfortunately had no idea the kind of power he could have just by taking off his shirt. If only Team Plasma had somehow learned how to harness that, they would have had themselves some real power.

With a little bit of shoving, he managed to roll N off of him like a dead weight until he flopped back onto his back the way he had been to start with. Touya would've suspected that he was still completely out if it weren't for the goofy smile that started to spread across his face.

"I see you smiling. You know you were crushing me."

N opened one eye just a little and smiled at him. "You felt really cozy, though."

"I wouldn't be very cozy anymore if you suffocated me." When that didn't do anything to dampen N's bright (albeit sleepy) expression, Touya laid half of himself over him and tucked his shoulder underneath N's arm. "Okay fine, there. Cozy?" he asked, sounding more amused now than anything else.

"Quite," he said, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. Then tiredly, he mumbled, "Goin' back to sleep," and sunk his head back down into their pillow.

Within moments, his breathing evened out and soon the only sound in the tent that remained was the sound of the rain rapidly hitting their tent. Though just as Touya began to close his eyes again, the tent flap opened and in waddled N's Oshawott looking soaked and happy. Noticing his sleeping companion, he gave Touya a little wave and helped himself to a corner of the tent where he promptly fell back to take a nap.

Now that he knew they really were okay like N had assured, there wasn't anything left to keep him awake. As he drifted back asleep to the sound of pattering rain, he wondered about where the others might be and if there was a lake nearby that would be convenient for swimming. He couldn't help but dream of another reason to keep N with his shirt off.


End file.
